


Don't stop Believing

by Plinycapybara



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Diabetes, F/M, Gen, I Blame Tumblr, Judaism, Kinda, Lacrosse, M/M, McDonald's, Music, Road Trips, Summer, Vegetarians & Vegans, but also jae-hae-centric too, mixtapes, yoon-centric, yun is a total mom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-01
Updated: 2015-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-12 11:12:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4477148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plinycapybara/pseuds/Plinycapybara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Why were we all friends?' Yoon paused and asked himself. It wasn’t like they had much in common. Granted, Yona and Hak had known each other since elementary school. Though most of them weren’t even in the same department, much less the same major. It just didn’t make sense…and yet…for some reason... </p>
<p>It did. It felt like…maybe in some past life…they travelled like this…across the country. It felt just natural as it was then as it did now. Yoon shook his head violently and tried to keep his focus on the road. Flashes of blood, of dragon-scales, starving peasants on the side of the street, of the roar of calvary…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Somebody told me that you liked partying the USA

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I read the manga thoroughly after finishing the anime. I just can’t get enough of Yona. I just need MORE. MORE I SAY MORE. It’s like a drug, I swear. It’s not the bad kind like Nadai (whoops spoilers). I haven’t written for this fandom yet, so…yeah! Based off a modern road trip AU gif set on tumblr. 
> 
> Notes: Modern AU. College summer road trip. Yona is a type 1 diabetic who is an English education major. Jae-Ha is a cultural non-practicing Jew from Brooklyn who majors in Engineering. Yoon has a full-ride scholarship and studies Biology. Hak is a lacrosse player who likes caffeine…a lot. Kija is a vegan who studies Communication and Shin-Ah is a psych major. Zeno’s a nursing major. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own AnY.

“I swear to God if you post one more picture of the girls at the McDonalds I will rip out your colon and shove it straight up your ass.” Hak snapped at the green-haired man who smirked at his phone. 

“Come on, those ladies need some recognition for their ability to stay beautiful in such a terrifying environment.” Jae-Ha smirked. 

“I’m going to pretend I did not hear that and try to erase that picture from my mind so I don’t crash the car into the building.” Yoon commented as he drove up to the speaker. “Is everyone getting their usual?” 

“Yeah, but please remember to get unsweetened tea,” Yona answered. 

“Sure,” Yoon nodded. “Jae-Ha?” 

“Bacon. Anything with bacon.” Jae-Ha replied. 

“There’s a reason you got kicked out of Brooklyn, wasn’t there?” Yoon asked. 

“Ah…well…,” Jae-Ha answered. 

“There’s not much I can order off of this menu…,” Kija looked at it and sighed. “Just order me a medium lemonade and baked potato, please.” 

“Alright, unsweetened tea, bacon cheeseburger, Jae-Ha’s colon, baked potato and a medium lemonade. Let’s see…Hak, what do you want?” 

“Oh, order of large fries, chicken tenders with a coke.” 

“Alright, I’m writing these down…ah,” Yoon texted the list on a note on his phone.

“What are you getting, Yoon?” Yona asked. 

“Oh, fish sandwich with fries,” Yoon answered. “Zeno?” 

“Zeno wants double cheeseburger with extra large fries!” Zeno chimed in. Yoon nodded. “I thought so. Shin-Ah?” 

“I’m fine with just a small order of fries.” 

“Let’s meet the poor soul who has to deal with us.” Yoon drove up and was greeted by the voice of a young girl. “Hello, welcome to McDonald’s, my name is Chiho, how may I help you?” 

“An unsweetened tea, double cheeseburger meal with an extra large coke, medium lemonade, baked potato-”

“No butter,” Kija reminded. 

“No butter on the baked potato, fish sandwich with fries, a small order of fries, large fries, chicken tenders and a coke.” 

“Um…ok…ah, pull around…it’s thirty-seven dollars,” the girl sounded like she was on the verge of tears. 

“You sure you wanted nothing to eat?” Yoon asked. 

“I’m fine. I don’t want you to worry about my blood sugar.” Yona answered. 

They were greeted by a black-haired man at the door with a crying sixteen-year-old behind her. “Here’s your food.” 

“Thank you,” 

—

(thirty minutes later) 

Somebody told me that you had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend that I had in Feburary of last year…

“They forgot to not put butter on my baked potato.” Kija poked at his meal with a plastic fork. 

“Oh, cry me a river, will you?” Jae-Ha rolled his eyes.

“You want me to put on the audio tape of Go Set a Watchman again?” Yoon threatened. 

“Ah, no thank you.” Jae-Ha answered. “That book ruined my high school OTP.”

“That was your biggest issue with it?” Kija asked. 

“Are you kidding!? Miss Maudie and Atticus were meant to be together!” Jae-Ha whined. 

“Guys, I need some water to take my medicine. Is there a Sonoco I could stop by to buy a water bottle?” Yona asked. 

“No, it’s fine you can take my lemonade.” Kija offered. 

“It might be too sweet though.” Yona looked down at the cup. 

“Don’t worry about it, it’s more important you take your meds.” Kija smiled. 

“You’re right.” Yona nodded and took the cup. She placed her medicine in her hands and drank the lemonade to help it go down. 

“Hey, Yoon, can I take over the driver’s seat for a while? Yona looks sort of tired.” Hak offered. 

“I’ll be fine once the medicine kicks in and blood sugar levels out more.” Yona smiled. 

“Why would whoever is driving matter if Yona is tired out unless it’s her? She’s in the passenger’s seat right now.” Yoon asked. 

“Well can Yona switch seats with Jae-Ha because it’s a miracle we’ve been in this close to each and not mortally injure each other.” 

“Yes it is,” Yoon pulled over. He hated to admit it, but Hak was more likely to make a decent point than Jae-Ha. “Alright, Yona, get out and switch with Jae-Ha.” 

The girl and the green-haired man got out quickly. Jae-Ha had a smug expression on his face. “We’re going through some rough parts of the mountain and according to the weather there’s a big storm up head so I’m going to have to focus completely on the road.”

“I’ll DJ instead then,” Jae-Ha smiled as he cocked his head back at the lacrosse player. “Oh hell no-” 

Jae-Hae cranked the volume up to ninenty-nine (it wouldn’t go to a hundred). He pulled up the windows so the sound would be trapped. 

“I HOPPED ON A PLANE AT THE L.A.X WITH A DREAM AND A CARDIGAN,” Jae-Ha sung along purposefully out of tune. His head tilted back at Hak who was in a fetal position. “WELCOME TO THE LAND OF FAME EXCESS (WHOA!) HOW AM I GONNA FIT IN,” 

“Please stop-” Hak cringed. 

Yoon rolled eyes. “Jae-Ha, you lost your privileges. Trade with Zeno.” 

“Now?” Jae-Ha asked. 

“NOW. I’M NOT DRIVING THROUGH A GIANT STORM LISTENING TO THAT GARBAGE.” Yoon snapped. 

“Zeno will make the storm into sunshine!” The blonde hopped into Jae-Ha’s lap. He turned down the volume to thirty-eight and then popped in his mixtape. 

‘Take a chance on me  
(Come on, give me a break will you?)  
Take a chance on me’ 

As the storm rolled onward as they crossed the mountain into the border between Colorado and Nebraska, Yona slept on Hak’s shoulders. Kija played some sudoku on his phone while Shin-Ah enjoyed the rain drops on the windows. It was times like this Yoon remembered why they took this trip from LA to New York City. 

Up until college, Jae-Ha lived with his great-grandma Gi-Gan. His grandmother died early of polio and his grandfather wasn’t in the picture. His parents were divorced. He couldn’t remember a single moment of warmness between them. He often got scolded when he tried to run away just to flee from their arguing. Gi-Gan wasn’t like other elderly ladies in the neighborhood. She often took care of the street kids and didn’t ward them off. Jae-Ha admired that. 

Gi-Gan was on her last legs now at the age of ninety-seven, and Jae-Ha, a broke college student, couldn’t afford a plane ticket. So he decided to invite his college friends on a road trip to Brooklyn. 

Why were they all friends? Yoon paused and asked himself. It wasn’t like they had much in common. Granted, Yona and Hak had known each other since elementary school. Though most of them weren’t even in the same department, much less the same major. It just didn’t make sense…and yet…for some reason. 

 

It did. It felt like…maybe in some past life…they travelled like this…across the country. It felt just natural as it was then as it did now. Yoon shook his head violently and tried to keep his focus on the road. Flashes of blood, of dragon-scales, starving peasants on the side of the street, of the roar of calvary…

No. Don’t be ridiculous, Yoon. You’re the voice of reason. Keep your eyes sealed on the road–

“You missed the exit, Yoon.” Shin-Ah interrupted. 

“DAMMIT, WHY WON’T YOU TELL ME THESE THINGS BEFORE I MAKE THOSE SORT OF MISTAKES!?” Yoon snapped.


	2. Of taste of art, death and the afterlife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The car breaks down, Yoon contemplates the afterlife, Kija invents a new appetizer and Jae-Ha finds out that his grandma wants him to raid the MET.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Akayona.

A/N: I don’t own Akayona.

Continued from this. 

If one thing could possibly make missing one of the most important exits of the entire road trip, having their car break down in the middle of no-wheres-ville Western Texas was one of them. At least, in Yoon’s opinion. 

“I’ve been on the phone with AAA for three hours.” Yoon cringed. He was about ready to throw the damn thing from the top of the roof of their Volkswagen onto the desert floor. He then signed and reclined back on his elbows. “Well, if we were completely honest with ourselves, we are driving cross-country in a car that’s older than all of us. Having it break down was inevitable.” 

“You know, I was an Eagle Scout. I can make us a fire.” Hak reminded. 

“Yeah that sounds like a decent enough idea. You go do that while I continue to talk to the robots who are slowly planning to enslave the human race by driving us insane.” Yoon commented. “Jae-Ha, I’d appreciate it if your feet off of my thighs right now, thank you.” 

“Make me.” The green-haired man smirked. 

“You lazy ass brat, I will drag off of the roof of that hunk of metal decayed shit that we’ve occupied for far too long,” Hak snapped. 

“Oh really? How so? What makes you think that you have the right to do that, Hak?” Jae-Ha asked. 

 

Yoon’s head perked up. He had heard this conversation before–he couldn’t place where or when exactly, but it sounded familiar. Granted, he could write it off as one of Hak and Jae-Ha’s many arguments, but something about this one struck a cord. 

 

'Taking away someone’s freedom is the ugliest thing one can do in this world. People like that ought to decay into dirt and come back as thorny roses.' 

'You shouldn’t force your ideals on others.'

'Dragon-puppet'

 

“Yoon? Yoon? Are you alright?” Yona asked. 

“Ah, Yona, thank God…I…yeah I’m just tired. I’ve been on the phone for a while. Don’t worry about me.” Yoon lied. 

“Sounds like a lie,” Yona looked further up at Yoon. “Are you sure?” 

“Of course I’m sure! I mean, i’ve been on the phone for three hours talking to machines.” 

“Hey Hak, you mind if I go with you?” Yona asked. 

“Yeah, someone has to go pick out some flowers for Kija the White Rabbit to eat.” Hak rolled his eyes and cocked his head towards Kija. 

“You do remember that I was the captain of our high school’s archery club, Hak.” Yona commented. 

“True, just don’t go too far from the group. It’s going to get dark and we don’t want to lose anyone.” Hak nodded. 

“Shin-Ah will join you.” the white-haired, yellow-eyed man stood up. 

“Jae-Ha, the least you can do for us in the meantime is watch out for Hitchcock villains or the main characters of Breaking Bad who might be ready to bounce on us so they can sell our bodies and possessions for heroin.” Hak snapped back at Jae-Ha. 

“Yeah, sure, I’ll throw our mix-tapes and blankets at them. That’ll scare them away.” Jae-Ha rolled his eyes. 

“Hey, Hak. I picked up this guide of edible flowers at the gas station.” Yoon threw a small book at Hak. The black-haired man flipped through it. “Thanks, we’ll be back with some fire-wood,” 

—

“You ever wonder why people want to go to heaven so bad, Yoon?” Jae-Ha turned his head slightly at Yoon. 

“Why are you asking me this all the sudden?“ Yoon answered. 

“Gi-Gan always told me that when she goes to hell, the first thing she’ll do is punch Hitler straight square in the face,” Jae-Ha answered. “When I think about, there’s probably a lot of annoying people in heaven. That’s why I’m aiming for hell. Gi-Gan’s going to be there and I get to fight Nazis with her.” 

“Well,” Yoon paused. What could he say to that? “What if there were no hell or heaven, Jae-Ha? What if you just got reincarnated?” 

“Well, I don’t know, guess we’ll have to see.” Jae-Ha stretched and yawned. “Why, you a Buddhist? I thought you were Catholic.” 

“No, I just, um…never mind.” Yoon shook his head. 

“Zeno believes in reincarnation.” Zeno peeked his head at the roof of the car. 

“That right?” Jae-Ha cracked his neck. “You’re an interesting little–” 

“WE’RE BACK!” Yona chimed. 

After the meal he prepared, Yoon found himself rather restless. Something about what Jae-Ha and Zeno discussed struck strings that he couldn’t exactly let go. Especially after Hak and Jae-Ha’s argument about going out to get food. It wasn’t exactly anything out of the norm for Hak and Jae-Ha to argue. As a matter of fact, it was the norm. So why did it bug him so much? Soon scratched the back of his neck. 

“Yoon can’t sleep? Yoon should sleep with Zeno. Zeno’s comfy.” 

“I’m sure he is, but that’s not the problem I’m having,” 

“What’s the problem Yoon is having? Zeno can help.” 

“It’s just…ever since we started to go on this trip I’ve begun to have these visions of us in weird-ass clothes–I think from China, maybe Korea or Japan, not sure, to be honest. In every flash, Kija has the creepy big-ass hand covered in scales that’s fucking terrifying. Hak’s got this weird spear or something. Jae-Ha’s actually not that different, just in other clothes. You’re there, but you’re covered in more dirt than usual. Yona’s got her bow and arrow, which isn’t weird since she’s way into archery, but she’s also got a sword. Shin-Ah’s got this weird mask on and a squirrel. He looks like he’s about to break into a house or something.” 

“Yoon…Yoon remembers?” Zeno’s eyes widened. 

“Remembers what? Forget it, I’m just having some fatigue from driving so much. I need some sleep.” Yoon shook his head. “I’m going back to the car. There’s some blankets there,” 

—

 

It was eighty-forty six when AAA finely towed the car and took it to nearest city–and by city, one should note that in such context it means group of breathing carbon-based homo sapiens that is large enough to have their own diner and gas station. Jae-Ha stood in the phone booth outside of Tae’s Diner, all of their cell phones either dead or having no signal. Kija stood outside of the phone box. His ears picked up way more than what he wanted to hear. 

“Hey dad…yeah, I know…how’s Gi-Gan? Still not dead? Good. We’re in northern Texas right now. Yeah one of my friends accidentally took a wrong exit. Yeah, yeah, I’ll make sure to call Yun-Ho when I get there. How’s mom? You haven’t talked to her in three weeks? Dad, she’s not a disease she’s your ex-wife. Well, thanks, man who brought me into the world. Maybe you should’ve used some condoms then. Oh? She wants what? WHAT!? How? Oh Christ…yeah I know. Yeah I know he still hates me since I made out with his daughter at my Bar Mitzvah. He’s not going to be there, is he? HE IS!? Shit. Look, I’m really hungry and I’m about to eat this phone if I don’t get something in my stomach soon. Well, fuck you, too.” Jae-Ha hung up the phone and growled. Several questions ran through Kija’s head as the green-haired man walked angrily into the diner. 

“Jae-Ha–was that your father?’ Kija asked. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Jae-Ha scowled. 

“Look, we’re friends if you’re having trouble–” Kija cried. 

“I SAID THAT I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT! MIND YOUR OWN FUCKING BUSINESS, PRETTY BOY!” Jae-Ha snapped. 

 

The diner was not purposefully vintage–they just hadn’t had the reason, time or money to change the tiles since Lucille Ball was on every black-and-white TV set in America. A long-haired man with greying hair greeted them. “You’re out of town, aren’t you?” 

“Yep,” Hak nodded. “I’ll take the breakfast omelet with a side of potato pancakes and ham. Large coffee, no cream.” 

“Scrambled eggs with a side of bacon and hash browns, please,” Yona ordered. “Coffee with cream and a glass of water.”

“I’d like…so many good things…so much food,” Zeno stared at the menu with his face drooling in delight. “I’ll take the chicken and egg breakfast burrito with a side of sausage and hash-browns! Glass of orange-juice and water,” 

“You, quiet one, what’s your order?” the old man asked Shin-Ah. 

“I’ll be fine with just a small order of scrambled eggs and a coffee, no cream.” 

“You, anger-management-issues?” the man turned to Jae-Ha. 

“I’ll take bacon. A mountain of bacon. And some coffee, I don’t care whether or not has cream,” Jae-Ha answered. 

“And you, little lady?” 

“I’m a dude.” Yoon remarked. “I’ll take the waffle smile with a coffee, cream please.” 

The man awkwardly shifted to Kija. “Still need some time?” 

“Um, do you have any options for vegans?” Kija asked. 

“What’s a vegan?” the man asked. 

“Someone who doesn’t eat animal products.” Kija answered. 

“So no meat?” the waiter asked. “No.” “Eggs?” “No.” “Milk?” “No. No diary.” 

“Um…the only thing on the menu that I can think of is orange juice and our fruit bowl.” the man peered at the diner menu. 

“That’s not gonna fill you up until lunch.” Yoon shook his head. 

“What’s these hush-puppies things?” Kija asked. 

“They’re made from cornmeal and deep fried.” the waiter answered. 

“Could you make that with soy milk, please?” Kija asked. 

“COLLEEN! COLLEEN, DO WE HAVE SOY MILK?” 

“I THINK SO!” a woman screamed from the kitchen. “Yeah, we do.” 

“We’ll whip that up for you.” 

 

As they sat at the counter attention grew towards Jae-Ha and its enraged entrance through the diner doors. He was unusually quiet. Yona peaked her head in curiosity. “What’d he say?” 

“I won’t be able to fulfill Gi-Gan’s death wish.” Jae-Ha answered coldly. 

“Why? What is it?” Yona asked. 

“She wants to be buried with a painting that was stolen from our family by the Nazis and sold at a ridiculously low price. It’s hanging in the MET right now,” Jae-Ha answered. “It’s a Matisse entitled ‘Sailor II’.” 

“Matisse! What a beautiful artist!” Kija’s eyes glistened. “I never knew you had an eye for such elegant art!” 

“No shit it is. I doubt the Met will let go of it easily.” Jae-Ha answered. 

“So…what do you want to do?” Hak asked. 

“Well, I’m glad you asked that, asshat.” Jae-Ha smirked. “I know exactly what I’m going to do,” 

“You’re going to take them to court?” Yoon asked. 

“And face the MET’s lawyers? Hahaha, no.” Jae-Ha answered. 

“Well, how are you going to get it?” Yoon asked. 

“The same way it got there in the first place.” Jae-Ha stretched. A dead silence fell upon the group of traveling students. 

“Here’s your meal, eat up,” the waiter served their food. “Watch, it’s hot,” 

Kija looked at the bowl of hush-puppies. He broke them in half and stuffed a carrot inside of it. “What are you doing?” Hak asked. 

“Eating,” Kija replied. 

“This is a new level of weird for you.” Hak commented as Jae-Ha snapped a picture of the white-haired man’s concoction. Kija huffed cartoonishly. “You just can’t appreciate culinary innovation.” 

“There’s innovation and then there’s plain insanity.” Hak remarked. 

“Then tell me where the line is drawn,” Kija asked. 

“I don’t know, hey Yona, did you get your pills and test your blood sugar?” Hak turned to his childhood friend. 

“I did,” Yona smiled pleasantly. “My blood sugar’s 141.3, which is good after just eating.” 

“Do you take debit or credit?” 

“Cash and credit only,” the waiter answered. 

“Credit,” Hak sighed and pulled out his wallet with one eye pealed towards Zeno who ordered the most expensive item on the menu. 

—

“Yona’s a really good driver,” Zeno peaked behind the passenger seat. 

“Thank you, Zeno. That’s sweet of you to say.” Yona nodded. 

“Zeno just saying it because it’s true and Zeno likes when Yona smiles. Zeno thinks Yona has a nice smile.” Zeno replied. 

“Aw, now you’re flattering me,“ Yona blushed. “Let’s listen to some music that I picked out.” 

“Yay! Music that’s not Jae-Ha’s!” Zeno cheered. 

'I watched his wildest dreams come true  
Not one of them involving you  
Just watch my wildest dreams come true  
Not one of them involving…'

“You’re really taking the whole breakup with Soo-Won bad, aren’t you?” Jae-Ha commented. “I mean, come on, I haven’t heard this song since eighth grade and everyone wore converse shoes, eyeliner and thought that the Twilight series were actual legit pieces of literature.”

“Says the grown man who blasts N*SYNC,” Hak smirked. 

“Don’t say that bastard’s name,” Yona cringed and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. 

“Yona, you might want to be careful with your blood pressure when you become a bit over-emotional–” Kija smiled nervously. 

“There’s a cliff up ahead, you might want to turn to your left onto the exit you just passed,” Shin-Ah pointed. 

“SHIN-AH, FOR THE LAST TIME, DON’T YOU WANT TO SAY THAT A LITTLE EARLIER!?” Yoon screamed. 

“I didn’t want to interrupt your conversation…,” Shin-Ah blushed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who don't know what Nazi Provenance is, it's basically when a family finds out that a museum is holding onto a piece of artwork that was looted by the Nazis and sold to said museum at an extremely cheap price, so they sometimes try to sue the museum to get the rights back for said piece. 
> 
> It's become the subject of major controversy both in the law and the art world. In fact, this year was a film based on a true story involving Nazi Provenance called "The Golden Woman".


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: Jae-Ha is a dirt broke college student who can’t afford a plane ticket to see Gi-Gan, his dying great-grandmother who mostly raised him. Hence, he convinces his best friends Yona, Hak (more of his frienemie, but nonetheless), Shin-Ah, Zeno, Yoon and Kija to a cross-country road trip.

 

As usual, the group decided on saving money by sleeping in the car. Not that they had much a choice since the nearest hotel was out of a psychological thriller where the main character, a bipolar sociopath, sells the belongings of his murdered guests for drugs. Plus, the simple jest of bed bugs sent shivers down Kija’s back and he began to make sounds that sounded less human and more like a ailing capybara. Zeno watched as Yoon jerked in his sleep.

 

Out of all the people who would remember their journey as the Happy Hungry Bunch nearly two thousand years ago, Zeno wouldn’t expect it to be Yoon. Not a single dragon. Not Hiryuu’s incarnation herself.

_Yoon._

Zeno sat back and rewound the day Yona died after thirty years as one of the Kouka’s Empire’s greatest rulers. Not only had she restored peace to her realm, but she bridged the major economic gap between the plebs and the wealthy. She dismantled the slave trade and set up a universal education system with Yoon’s help. She spent time trying to repair relations with the Kai Empire. Sadly, a disease took her life. Her successor Rina, a daughter by Hak, married the eldest son of Kija by one of his seven wives. Yona’s forty-six-year-old body laid in a Mausoleum. Zeno found himself in the same position as he was all those years ago, that was until he heard four voices boom from the heavens…

_You have fulfilled your prophecy our brothers. Your powers are no longer needed. You can live your lives in peace…except, for you…_

_“Me?” Zeno pointed to himself._

_Indeed. You are an original dragon, so we cannot strip you of your powers. I’m sorry._

Zeno continually wandered the Earth ever since–the first of his former companions he encountered was Jae-Ha. It was fourteen-century, post-plaque Venice. The ex-Green Dragon had become a suave, successful merchant of spices alongside other things he considered from exotic, new lands as beautiful. His downfall, however, was that he was a notorious womanizer–both in his past lives, his current life, dragon or not. He had just happened to charm and woo the daughter of the Duchess herself, which wound up in him dying in a duel.

Zeno ran into Shin-Ah during the Renaissance in Rome. He was known as the masked painter who rarely spoke, but provided amazing portraits of animals and scenery.

Zeno’s encounters were with Yoon, Ik-Soo and Kija in France during the Enlightenment. Soon was a closet atheist who studied biology and astronomy, but nonetheless held a refugee for those still in persecution from the Catholic Church, namely Protestants. Ik-Soo was a former Catholic priest who was ex-communicated. Kija worked with Yoon for the most part, but also kept an eye out for the Inquisition.

Zeno finally encountered Yona and Hak in the 1920s. Yona was a dancer in New York and Hak had become a bootlegger. The Kouka Empress was now known as one of the most wanted women in the Big Apple for being the poster child of flappers and speakeasies. The ex-King and bodygaurd died when they fled the cities only to be killed by the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression.

It wasn’t long before Zeno ran into them again, however–record timing, actually.

It was during the late 1960s at the dawn of the feminist movement. Yona was at the forefront of it. Her eyes filled once again with the fire of passion and courage which shined through the darkness of corruption and united the Kouka Kingdom. King Hiryuu, the crimson dragon, burnt her bra in front of the entire country, to show the disparities of how women were treated in society. Zeno felt his soul once again ablaze, seeing his master partake in helping those in need, even if meant risking her own life. Hak wound up being wounded in the Vietnam War, only to come back without a single shred of respect. The ex-General of the Wind Tribe joined his former master in her protests. Yona died of HIV in 1994, and Hak’s suicide was soon to follow not even a week later.

—

“Shin-Ah will drive this morning.” Shin-Ah pointed to himself. “Well, it’s supposed to be Zeno’s turn, but…,” Yoon looked at the blonde.

“I think the yellow fluffball needs some sleep. Besides, Shin-Ah hasn’t driven in while, anyway.”

“Yoon’s right–Zeno want to take nap.” Zeno muttered in his sleep.

“Alright, according to the map, if we go East Route 42 we should end up in Kentucky and then once we follow it to Cleveland we’ll take a right onto Route 19 and go through Pittsburgh. From there we’ll go through the rural T of Pennsylvania and drive through Philadelphia into New Jersey. We’ll head to Brooklyn from there.” Yoon read. “Everyone on board with this?”

“I think it sounds good.” Yona smiled. “You’re always so great at directions.”

“Thank you, and well, someone has to be,” Yoon sighed. “Out of curiousity, do you know your great-grandma’s address?”

“146 48th St, Suite No. 3, Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York.” Jae-Ha answered with one eye open. “I remember it by name because she always had a shit-ton of coupon magazines that were delivered to her house.”

“She was an extreme couponer?” Hak asked. “Like, before that was even a thing?”

“Well she had a lot of street kids to take care of,” Jae-Ha shrugged. The purple-eyed man looked up towards the ceiling. “She also was the twin sister of one of the most beautiful girls in the world.”

“You mean Yoon?” Hak asked.

“HEY! I’M THE MOST BEAUTIFUL _BOY_ IN THE WORLD!”

“No. This one.” Jae-Ha handed a black-and-white picture of two twelve-year-old girls. It was dated January 12th, 1943. He pointed to the one on the left. “She was polite, timid, eloquent, extremely protective of those she cared about to very end of her life. A fine–”

“You’re…describing Kija.” Hak commented.

“What?” Jae-Ha blinked.

“Kija. You’re describing Kija.” Hak repeated himself.

“Oh my God I am, aren’t I? I’m in love with my great-grandaunt/best friend/boyfriend.” Jae-Ha widened his eyes.

“Just when I thought that you couldn’t be any creepier,” Hak shook his head.

“It’s actually really cute that you have a type based off of those you love and care most about,” Kija blushed.

“I’m just going…to put this blanket on my face. Just…when we get to Brooklyn say to everyone that I got drunk and passed out in the car.” Jae-Ha pressed the recline button. He then pulled over a blanket over his face and groaned.

“Jae-Ha’s great-grandma is really pretty and interesting, too!” Zeno smiled. 

"You met her?” Yona asked.

“Zeno did! Does Yona want to hear about?” Zeno asked.

Yona chuckled. “Yes, Yona does,”

 

_Zeno walked through the alleys of Brooklyn. Zeno hummed as he walked through the concrete jungle. Then Zeno looked down from the little amount of sky that I could see to witness a lanky, six-foot-two barefoot teenager with long green hair pulled back into a ponytail. He had tiny purple gages that were about two millimeters long. He wore ripped black jeans with so many holes you could see the green tattoo beneath the cloth. He didn’t even wear a shirt. He carried a bag of groceries. The neighborhood townies whispered behind his back as the boy scowled._

_“There goes the walking chalkboard.”_

_“I can’t believe his got purple gages!”_

_“Where’s his parents in all of this?”_

_“You kidding? They started this slippery slope.”_

_“I’m surprised that he goes to school regularly. If my child was in the same class as someone like that, I’d pull them out straight away.”_

_“Doesn’t he go to an art conservatory?”_

_“Not surprising. I guess he couldn’t handle a REAL school.”_

_The green-haired man didn’t even glance back at them. He walked to the stoop of a red townhouse where an old lady in purple greeted him. “How was the store?”_

_“Ah, not bad, they tried to cheat me out of using all those coupons you saved up like usual.” the teenage boy rolled his eyes as he handed the lady the bag of groceries._

_“Typical,” the old woman shook her head. “I’ll make some iced tea. You look like shit. Take a seat.”_

_“I was planning on it,” the teenager sat._

_Zeno walked up to the stoop in curiosity. “What do you want, kid? You want food? Talk to Gi-Gan.”_

_“Zeno always want food,” Zeno replied. “What’s your name?”_

_“Jae-Ha.”_

_Zeno’s eyes alit. My suspicions were correct! “You were the green dragon! I’m Zeno, the yellow dragon! Do you remember me? Remember Yona? Hak? Kija? Shin-Ah? Ao the Squirrel? Yoon? We travelled together as bandits who helped the poor!”_

_“I think you need some food soon because you’re imagining things. You’re obviously lost and delusional. GI-GAN! GET THIS KID SOME FOOD!”_

_“What’s going on out here?” Gi-Gan opened the door. Zeno’s stomach grumbled loudly._

_“Get in here before you collapse on my steps and fall on my grandson, blonde.” The room was stuffy and mold filled the air. The walls had outdated paper that slowly peeled off as the decades went by. Jae-Ha reclined on the couch which was wrapped like a mummy in a white bed-sheet. He held a cold, cheap beer to his lips and then turned his eyes to me. “You’re names Zeno, right?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Where yeh from?”_

_“Kouka, King Hiryuu’s Castle!”_

_“Yeah sure,” Jae-Ha rolled his eyes. “You’re high as a kite right now, aren’t you?”_

_“High…? Zeno isn’t high. Zeno is right here.”_

_“Never mind.” Jae-Ha sighed.“You a drifter?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Lucky. I wish I could get out this place. I can’t wait for that day when I get a plane ticket and never look back.” Jae-Ha stared at the ceiling fan._

\---

“Gi-Gan sounds like such a cool person!” Yona’s eyes glistened. “I’m even more excited to meet her now than before!”

“Hey Zeno, what were you saying to Jae-Ha again?” “Green dragon…yellow dragon…Kouka…Ao the Squirrel?” “That sounds…,” Yoon stopped himself. He didn’t want to say that it sounded familiar otherwise he’d sound completely insane. “Never mind, wherever you were talking about–we’re now in Kentucky so…enjoy the scenery.”


	4. Bridges and more bridges

“Welcome everyone, to Pittsburgh, the city of slowly collapsing bridges.” Yoon announced as they entered the Liberty Tunnel. 

“I see a duck,” Shin-Ah looked onward. 

“Yes, the thirteen hundred pound duck was here in this city. It was a huge hit with locals and drew a lot of tourism–” Yoon 

“No, duck on hood.” Shin-Ah pointed to a duck rested on the hood of the car. 

“Duck on hood? Is that another one of your weird indie bands–JESUS!” 

—-

Fathead’s Brewery, Southside, Pittsburgh, PA 

The car was being repaired at a shop a few streets off of the main drag of East Carson. It was getting close to lunch and the group had a hankering for a good meal to get them through driving across the state of Pennsylvania. 

The six sat in awkward silence as a quite irritated Yoon glared down at the menu as if he expected it to move or talk about. Hak sipped the house special beer and looked at the handsome young man. 

“You know, Yoon, printed letters usually don’t move unless you’re on a shitload of acid.” Hak commented with the brim of his drink close to his lips. 

“I know,” Yoon replied under his breath. 

“Zeno likes this menu. Zeno likes this menu a lot!” Zeno chirped. 

“Is there any menu that you don’t like?” Jae-Ha asked with a smirk. Zeno chuckled at this and then turned to Yona. “So what is the miss having?” 

“Oh, the classic Ruben.” Yona answered.

“You’re not having anything to drink? Word on the street from the locals is that this pub’s pretty famous ‘round these parts.” Jae-Ha asked. 

“No,” Yona shook her head. The last thing she wanted was for them to worry about her blood sugar spiking. “I’ll pass. Yoon, I’m going to be driving next.” 

“Fine with me, after all, the last thing I want after that fiasco is Jae-Ha’s insane driving while blasting ear-bleeding garbage while singing annoyingly out of tune on purpose.” Yoon sighed. 

Hak laughed in agreement. “The way he drives he’d scare the Amish in Lancaster so badly they’d think that the rapture was coming forth. All of the Civil War soldiers in Gettysburg would rise out of their graves as zombies thinking the other army had come for them.” 

“Yona, you don’t have to drive afterward. Your blood sugar might still be to high–” Kija suggested. 

“No, I’ll be fine, I promise.” Yona answered. “If you want to drive after me, I’d be alright with that.” Yoon nodded in silent agreement. Kija sighed in defeat as he peered at the menu. 

“So much meat…don’t they realize what they’re doing?” Kija shook his head. “No. I will not order from here–” a growl from his stomach protested. “I-I’ll have the house salad without fries or dressing.”

“What does Shin-Ah want?” Zeno asked. Shin-Ah paused for brief moment and looked up at Zeno before he glanced back down at the menu. He pointed to the Pulled Pork burrito. 

Jae-Ha smiled at that and looked up at the ceiling fan. '…I’m going back to the place I swore never to step foot in again….'

 

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

 

The drive through Lancaster was quiet. Tension was clear as Yoon sat with his cheek rested on his palm as he gazed out the window in angst. Horse and buggies rode alongside eighteen-wheeler trucks. They stopped at a gas station to refill on oil. Jae-Ha eavesdropped on a strangely familiar conversation between a traditional parental figure and their rebel child. 

“Momma! I’m tired of this! I don’t care!” 

“If your father knew that you had a 3DS, you’d be in for the whipping of your life, Ester!” 

“I’m tired of being cut off from the world! It’s changing, mom! We have to change with it!” 

“Get back in the wagon or you’re not having dinner tonight!” 

Jae-Ha closed his eyes and remembered the days when such words rung throughout the Ryokuryuu household. 

“A TATTOO?! YOU GOT A TATTOO!?” 

“Yeah mom, what ya gonna do ‘bout it?”

“GAROU! GET DOWN HERE! OUR SON GOT A TATTOO!” 

“Maybe the kid is bound for the outside world…,” 

“THIS IS YOUR FAULT, GAROU! YOU LET HIM OFF EASY!” 

“Jae-Ha, you coming back in the car? Jae-Ha? EARTH TO JAE-HA!” Yoon proclaimed as he dragged the green-haired man into the Volkswagen. “I don’t know what planet you’re on right now, and I’m sure it’s full of nice ladies, but now is NOT the time.”

 

The car ride through Philadelphia was even more painful. It seemed as if every inch that crept closer to Borough Park was yet another hair on Jae-Ha’s arm stuck up. Granted, it didn’t help that Google Maps was infamous for their inability to direct people around shady areas of town. Shoes were tied around telephone polls. Pavement appeared to be dated back to the 1970s. A car laid out in a vacant lot filled with needles and plastic bags filled with half-eaten food and cigarette butts. 

Zeno remembered the first time he set foot in Philadelphia. The year was 1849 and he was posing as a spice merchant. Discussions over slavery heated up the streets in those days. Zeno bumped into a newspaper boy who held out a copy of 'the North Star'. The yellow dragon rustled the boy’s hair cheerfully and held onto that copy for as long as he could…until he was trapped in Ohio in the midst of the Great Depression. Then he had to sell it to the state government for food and shelter because he had gotten thrown out of every Hoovertown in the state for eating too much. 

 

Yona looked to Yoon. “Hey, you told me you’re from the inner city, right?” 

“No, the country. But the area I was from…,” Wasn’t unlike this. Yoon blinked as he heard an echo of his voice in his head of what he was about to say. As if this conversation had already happened. “Uniontown, PA…nothing but rust, old people, Family Dollars and heroin.” 

“Uniontown’s not far from Pittsburgh. We should’ve stopped by your folks,” Kija replied. “Besides, you shouldn’t say such awful things about the people who raised you!” 

“I’m not saying it, I’m stating a fact.” Yoon answered. “Besides, not everyone had a cushy lifestyle like you.” Kija looked down at his thighs in guilt. 

“I think we can all agree the quicker we get out the better.“ Hak stated. “By nightfall, we’ll be in Brooklyn.” Jae-Ha froze at that statement: 

\---

 

B y n i g h t f a l l , w e ’ l l b e i n B r o o k l y n. 

 

—-

Grey cobblestone housing towered only slightly over cracked concrete streets where people in black browsed used book sales and produce. Even though it seemed serene and heartwarming to the rest of the crew, Jae-Ha felt like the ground was attempting to eat him every time he tried to walk. 

“Is that who I think it is?” 

“Jae-Ha? Garou’s kid? The one who got all those tattoos?” 

“I think so! It’s been years!” 

Jae-Ha scowled at the two women gossiping. The covered their mouths with books but it was quite obvious that said literature might as well had been paper fans. Kija followed in suit of his green-haired friend, alongside Yoon, Shin-Ah, Yona, Zeno and Hak. 

“Pardon me, but could you please go a little quicker?” Kija asked. 

“Are you waiting for your grandma to die before you go into see her?” Hak teased. 

“I think he’s just contemplating about being in his hometown. He’s just lost in thought. Don’t get mad at him, you two,” Yona smiled. 

“I didn’t know he could think thoughts to be lost in to begin with,” Hak smirked. 

“HAK!” Yona pouted. “What?” Hak shrugged. 

“Those bagels smell delicious,” Zeno licked his lips at the sight of a local bagel shop. 

“Zeno’s going even slower, be glad you’re behind Jae-Ha.” Yoon rolled his eyes. 

“Kija, you might want to know there’s a spider on the newspaper you’re about to step on.” Shin-Ah whispered. 

“WHAT SORT OF–” 

“What sort of trouble brings you back ‘round these parts, Jae-Ha?” an elderly feminine voice asked.

“Grandma…Gi-Gan…?”


End file.
